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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Spring

What’s Beautiful Now: Roses, So Many Roses

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on June 3 2016, by Matt Newman

Floribunda rose Plum PerfectIf the Garden wears spring like jewelry, the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden is our Hope Diamond—and at 80% of the way to peak bloom, this is the time to see it. Our Rose Garden Weekend is shaping up to be a festival of flowers both classic and contemporary, from hybrid teas and shrub roses to the most superlative floribundas.

Stop in all weekend long for live music and dance, plein-air painting, drinks, and talks with the Garden’s top rose experts that’ll set you on the path to a thriving rose garden of your own. You might even win one of our incredible plants to take home—learn more here.

And if you’re not yet sold, have a look at just a few of the flowers in bloom this week.

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Weekly Wildlife at the Garden: A Dozen Ducklings

Posted in Wildlife on June 2 2016, by Patricia Gonzalez

Patricia Gonzalez is an NYBG Visitor Services Attendant and avid wildlife photographer.

One of the great things about being on Garden staff is the opportunity, twice each year, to access the grounds when they are closed to the public—namely during our exhibition staff orientations. The first one happens before the summer exhibition (like Frida), and the second takes place ahead of the Holiday Train Show. I usually arrive about an hour and a half early so I can do some shooting.

We recently had our orientation for Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas. While walking along Magnolia Way, I spotted this mama Wood Duck. I noticed a few fuzzy heads peeking out as well. Soon, a few heads turned into 12 as they went for a swim! Never a dull day at NYBG.

After 125 Years, Some Well-Deserved Cake

Posted in Programs and Events on May 19 2016, by Ariel Handelman

NYBG cake contestDuring the opening weekend celebration for Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas, and in honor of our 125th Anniversary, I had the pleasure of being a judge for our first ever cake contest! We reached out to local bakeries and challenged them to create special anniversary cakes with the theme of nature, gardens, plants, and art—a broad theme that allowed for the creativity of these master bakers to shine through.

Judging was based on aesthetics and interpretation of the theme (not by tasting, unfortunately for me, though each bakery did supply a sheet cake for sampling). Having to rank these works of art was difficult, but between the public voting via text messages and the other two judges—Casey Barber and Jen Chung—we managed to narrow down our choices.

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